Self-closing gate



y' 4, 1940. G. R. SWENSON 2.200.727

SELF-CLOSING GATE Original Filed Sept. 26, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z 6072-5210 [.SlUENSuON May 14,- 1940. ca. R. SWENSON SELF-CLOSING GATE Original Filed Sept 26, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fr roINE) Patented May 14, 1940 PATENT OFFICE SELF-CLOSING GATE Gottfrid R. Swenson; Elgin, Tex.

Application September 26, 1936, Serial No. 102,687

Renewed October 25, 1939 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in self-- closing I gates.

The main object is to provide a gate which may be opened by an auto or other vehicle coming in contact with it and which will then automatically close when the vehicle has passed through.

Another object is to provide a gate of this kind in simple and practical form comprising a pair of spaced gate posts set up each side of the gateway, a sill extending between the posts, a lower gate pivoted at its lower margin to the sill to swing downwardly to either side, an upper gate slidably mounted between the gate posts, and chains attached to the upper gate, run up to the top of the gate posts and then down over pulleys to the upper edge of the lower gate whereby as the lower gate swings down the upper gate will be raised and then as the weight leaves the lower gate the upper will descend and both gates will move back to closed position.

' With these and other objects in view the in- Figure 1 is an elevation of the gate in closed position.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section along the line 2-2 in Figure 1 showing the gates in broken lines in their open positions.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross section along the line 3--3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmental perspective detail view illustrating the construction of the lower gate hinge and the sill.

In carrying out my invention I provide at either side of the gateway or roadway A a pair of spaced vertical and elongated gate posts 5 each preferably made of T-irons with the center webs 5a turned outward. A sill 5 is secured at its ends at l to the posts 5 at the level of the gateway A and extends across between the posts, this sill being also of T-iron with the center web 6a turned downwardly. A cap or top rail 8 of the I-beam section is secured horizontally across the tops of the posts5 thus completing a generally rectangular and upstanding gate frame as shown.

A rectangular lower gate 9 is provided and same comprises a frame made up of pipe in joined at the corners by elbows II. This frame is hinged to the sill 6 by means of hinge eyes or lugs l2 which are bored out at l3 to pivotally receive the bottom pipe Illa and have. the flat bases IE to seat in theflat upper face or web l5 of said sill B. This web l5 has several pairs of slots it cut through on each side of the vertical web 6a. and the hinge eyes l2 have spaced depending ears I! adapted to drop through these slots down alongside the web Ba. This web Ba has an aperture l8 below each pair of slots [6 and the ears I! have apertures I9 which will align with these apertures Hi to receive bolts by which the eyes are rigidly affixed to the sill. In this manner the gate 9 is pivotally mounted so that it may swing down flat to the roadway A at either side of the gate frame and when it stands vertically it will obstruct the lower portion of the frame. Heavy bumper boards 2| are secured vertically between the upper and lower pipes Ill and Illa, one being at the center and one at each side of center spaced apart about the distance of the usual wheel spread of an auto. These boards 2| are notched at their ends at 22 to fit the inner rounded sides of the pipes Ill and Illa and are secured in place by U-shaped clamps 23 set astrad-dle or around the pipes and bolted to the boards near their ends as at 24.

The spaces in the gate between and outwardly of the boards 2| are covered by fence wire or heavy screening as at 25 in any convenient or desirable manner.

An upper gate 26 is provided and same comprises a rectangular open frame made up of pipes 21 joined by elbows 28 at the corners of the gate, the whole being covered with fence or screen wire 29 fastened around the upper and lower margins of the gate. Guides 30 of channel iron with U-shaped cross section are secured at 3| to the cap 8 and depend therefrom downwardly inside the posts 5 to a point just above the lower gate 9. The channels 300. of these guides 30 are turned inwardly in facing relation and the ends of the upper gate 26 are slidably mounted for vertical movement along and through these channels as shown. The guides 30 are set in from the posts 5 so as to leave on each side a space 32. At the upper end of each guide 30 a pulley 33 is journaled in an opening 34 formed in the bight web 30b of the guide and some distance below each guide is joined to the adjacent post 5 by a pair of horizontally spaced pins 35 welded or otherwise secured at their ends to these parts. Guide pulleys 36 are journaled on these pins 35 as shown. At each upper corner of the upper gate 26 a chain 37 is fastened as at 38 and. led upwardly over the pulley 33 down through the space 32 between the pulleys 3B and is attached to the upper corner of the lower gate 5 at 39. These chains are of such length that in the normal position of the parts the upper gate 26 hangs just above the lower gate 5 as shown in Figure 1.

Now as an auto approaches the gate its bumper will strike the center board 2| and will swing the lower gate 5 down flat to the roadway A so that the wheels of the auto may roll on over the end boards 2L At the same time the pull on the chains 3'! draws'the upper gate 26 upward in the guides 3|] so that the gateway is left clear. Then as the weight of the vehicle leaves the lower gate 5 the weight of the upper gate (which may be weighted as necessary) pulls downward on the chains 31 swinging the gate 5 back to the vertical closed position as the upper gate moves downward to its closed position. The pulleys 36 allow the gate to be opened by an auto moving through in either direction as will be understood.

While I'have herein set forth a certain preferred embodiment of my invention it is. understoodvthat I may vary from the same in minor structural details so as best to provide a practical device for the purposes intended, not departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a gate structure, the combination of a pair of spaced vertical side posts, a sill extending horizontally between the posts, the said sill being of T-shaped cross section having a horizontal web and a medial depended web, the said horizontal web having spaced pairs of slots parallel with the vertical web, hinge eyes having flat bases to seat on the horizontal web and having extended ears dropped through the said slots for bolting to the vertical web, a lower gate assembly hinged in the said hinge eyes, an upper gate slidably mounted between the side posts, and means connecting the upper and lower gates whereby the former acts as a counterweight to normally hold the lower gate in a vertical position.

GOTTFRID R. SWENSON. 

